Blackberry Playbook dilema!

gooner99 · 20-04-2013 5:22pm #1

Hi. Got a 64gb playbook for my wife as an Xmas present,which she has been really happy with, well apart from some WiFi dropping issues,but I guess lots of tablets suffer from this?

Now the other day it stopped charging.I checked it out and as our family have 3 more of these, I checked their chargers on our playbook and our charger on theirs.Charger turns out to be fine, it's the mini usb port that broke. Checked the web and found it's a common fault and not one that blackberry look after very well under warranty, blaming users for the damage. Most people get around it by using wifi for file transfer and purchasing a rapid charger or docking station which use the 3 pin magnet interface in order to keep their playbook alive.

Anyway went into Currys Today and even though I forgot my receipt they had a look and agreed that the port was the problem and that there had been quite a few with the same problem.They said that if I came in with the receipt they would see if they could do an exchange (although this is unlikely as stocks nationwide are running out and they had none in their store) or they would refund us, which if I remember rightly was about €159 as they were on offer.

My dilemma is do we....

1. Take the refund (assuming they can't secure a replacement).In this case what do we replace it with, cause I don't think there is anything in that price range with such a spec from what I could see in Currys anyway?

2. Forget about it and just buy a rapid charger for about €30 from amazon and use wifi for file transfer?

Also want to advise anyone that has a playbook and really likes it to buy themselves a rapid charger or docking station (ensure station uses the 3 pin interface and not mini usb). This will ensure that your usb interface is saved from damage and can be used for file transfer.

I also wonder to most other makes/models of tablets suffer from these problems,as I'm sure quite lot of models use this type of charging interface

Fiskar · 21-04-2013 7:47pm

gooner99 wrote: »

Hi. Got a 64gb playbook for my wife as an Xmas present,which she has been really happy with, well apart from some WiFi dropping issues,but I guess lots of tablets suffer from this?

Now the other day it stopped charging.I checked it out and as our family have 3 more of these, I checked their chargers on our playbook and our charger on theirs.Charger turns out to be fine, it's the mini usb port that broke. Checked the web and found it's a common fault and not one that blackberry look after very well under warranty, blaming users for the damage. Most people get around it by using wifi for file transfer and purchasing a rapid charger or docking station which use the 3 pin magnet interface in order to keep their playbook alive.

Anyway went into Currys Today and even though I forgot my receipt they had a look and agreed that the port was the problem and that there had been quite a few with the same problem.They said that if I came in with the receipt they would see if they could do an exchange (although this is unlikely as stocks nationwide are running out and they had none in their store) or they would refund us, which if I remember rightly was about €159 as they were on offer.

My dilemma is do we....

1. Take the refund (assuming they can't secure a replacement).In this case what do we replace it with, cause I don't think there is anything in that price range with such a spec from what I could see in Currys anyway?

2. Forget about it and just buy a rapid charger for about €30 from amazon and use wifi for file transfer?

Also want to advise anyone that has a playbook and really likes it to buy themselves a rapid charger or docking station (ensure station uses the 3 pin interface and not mini usb). This will ensure that your usb interface is saved from damage and can be used for file transfer.

I also wonder to most other makes/models of tablets suffer from these problems,as I'm sure quite lot of models use this type of charging interface

Take the refund, get a HP slate 7 due out May 1st or wait till July and get a reduced price Nexus 7

gooner99 · 04-05-2013 2:57pm

Thanks for the reply. Got the receipt now, so will take the credit option (I don't think I will get a refund at this stage). So from what you were saying the HP should be out by now,but not on the currys website to guess they may not be selling it. Don't see the Nexus 7 on the currys site either. What do you guys think I should do.should I take the credit Tomorrow and get an alternative straight away or wait a few weeks in the hope of price reductions on their current stock?

Don't really want to spend much more than the refund of €159, unless it's really worth it.See the versus 8" for the same money,what are versus like?

For Forks Sake · 20-05-2013 10:05pm

The HP is available now @ €159 : http://www.pcworld.ie/Product/HP-Slate-7-7andquot-Tablet-8-GB-Silver/314772/104.2?utm_source=PCWorldBanner5&utm_medium=Banner+5&utm_campaign=HP_Slate_7_Tablet&utm_term=HP_Slate_7_Tablet

gooner99 · 20-05-2013 10:08pm

For Forks Sake wrote: »

The HP is available now @ €159 : http://www.pcworld.ie/Product/HP-Slate-7-7andquot-Tablet-8-GB-Silver/314772/104.2?utm_source=PCWorldBanner5&utm_medium=Banner+5&utm_campaign=HP_Slate_7_Tablet&utm_term=HP_Slate_7_Tablet

Cheers.ended up taking the refund and got the samsung for €30 extra.

Gran Hermano · 21-05-2013 3:10pm

Any review I've read on the HP Slate 7 are not promising.
I'd look at the Nexus or Samsung range.

Blackberry Playbook dilema!

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